Texas Rangers Star Shares Team's Clear Goal During Spring Training

The Texas Rangers have one goal on their mind heading during spring training.

Sep 2, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers shortstop Josh Smith (8) in action during the game between the Texas Rangers and the New York Yankees at Globe Life Field | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Texas Rangers are expected to be one of the best team's in Major League Baseball this year.

Not only did they make upgrades to their already formidable roster that won a World Series in 2023, but they are a much deeper club from top to bottom that should help them over the course of the 162-game schedule.

That's expected to protect them against injuries that pop up, but the reality still remains the same for the Rangers entering the season; they have to remain healthy.

No matter how deep they are, if Jacob deGrom, Corey Seager, Marcus Semien, Evan Carter, Wyatt Langford or any of the other high-profile players miss extended time with an injury, that limits the ceiling of this team and could prevent them from getting back to the Fall Classic again.

Texas knows this.

"Just make it out of spring healthy," star utility man Josh Smith said per Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News.

That would be a good first step, but the Rangers were also crushed during the early part of the season which prevented them from ever getting things going.

"Right off the bat, we had guys getting banged up. As long as everyone can stay out there and do what they do, we're going to be a great team. I don't think anyone can question that," Tyler Mahle added.

Mahle was one of those guys.

Signed by Texas knowing he was still recovering from shoulder surgery, he didn't make his debut in 2024 until early-August, something that resulted in just three starts before he was shut down for the year in late-August with shoulder tightness.

Those are the types of risks the Rangers took, especially with deGrom on this staff as well.

But Mahle is also right.

If Texas can stay healthy, then they are one of the best teams in the sport and should be in the mix to win another championship.

Still, it's hard to rely on oft-injured players staying on the field, so the goal of the front office this winter was to create a failsafe in case the same things occur during this campaign.

Injury variance should treat Texas better this year at the very least since Spotrac clocked them as having the second-most days missed out of any team in Major League Baseball last season.

But first thing is first for the Rangers; they have to get out of spring healthy.